Crimson Wings
by PyroStriker
Summary: Part 1 of the Feld Series. I got sick of seeing people cast Dart as a total moron, so I decided to tell the game from his POV. Probably won't change anyone's mind, but I can give it a shot. Chapter 7 edited, with a new AN!
1. Seles

Author's Note: Okey dokey, welcome to a new fic. I'm pretty sure nobody has done this before, because simply put, about 75% of people who have played the game hate Dart's guts, and the others just don't do something like this. Basically, I started this story because I think that too many people think Dart's a total idiot and write him off as a stereotypical hero without really delving deep into him. However, I feel that there are a few things I should express before I get this going.  
  
First off, character. Keep in mind that this is MY take on Dart's character, which differs greatly from most. Thus, I don't want to hear about how out of character Dart is in my story, because that's the point. This is my spin on the game and on Dart. So don't tell me that I should have made Dart stupid, because that kind of defeats the whole purpose of me writing this.  
  
Secondly, dialogue. For those of you that have memorized every line of the game and live by it like your holy scripture, you not only have my everlasting pity, but you will be disappointed by this fic. This won't follow the exact wording of every line in the game. That would not only make this fic unoriginal and boring, but since the translation sucked so much, who would want to follow the same exact dialogue? Therefore, I have twisted it to serve my purposes.  
  
Finally, rating. As stated in the summary, this is not some happy-go-lucky story in which the Snuggle Armadillos go around giving all the bad guys fluffy cupcakes and great big hugs. (Yes, I made that up. It's not some Nickelodeon rerun.) This story contains a great deal of swearing, as well as a pretty sizeable amount of gore. Unlike my other serious fic, not all of the baddies disappear when they die. There are some humans among the villains in this story, and therefore it gives me all sorts of opportunities to describe death in nasty ways. Which I will, in great detail. Leave sappy romance to other writers, I do morbid battle scenes better. You don't like that, tough. I'm writing the story.  
  
Anyway, I apologize for making you all read that, on with the story!  
  
Chapter 1  
  
I sighed as I watched the sun lower behind the hills. I sat down on a nearby boulder; my crimson armor making a hollow thud as it struck the heavy granite. I had been gone for years, and yet I had not found a single damn trace of the thing. The Black Monster couldn't have just vanished into thin air. As I thought that, I mentally shook myself. How do you know it can't? You don't know a thing about it, and yet you've spanned the globe chasing after it, searching for something that most people believe is something out of a child's bedtime story.  
  
But bitterness would get me nowhere now. I was home, for better or for worse. Seles... it had been far too long. I wondered briefly how grizzled old Master Tasman was doing. I heard about his crippling injury from one of the letters I received from Shana, my 'baby sister'. She would be nineteen now; it seemed almost impossible.  
  
But my daydreams of home were rudely interrupted by something very big tromping through the forest, making a godawful noise in the process, I might add. I drew my weapon, keeping a finger on each side of the blade to muffle the sound of metal scraping metal; it burst through the line of trees rather ungraciously. Despite an overpowering urge to drop my sword and run for my life, I did a quick assessment of the creature.  
  
It was the strangest creature I had ever seen. Its body was bulbous and an almost fluorescent green color. It had six legs, which were long, but jointed and constantly bent therefore given them the illusion of appearing stumpy. Its arms were also jointed, ending in wicked claws. Its head was triangular, with two gleaming tusks that looked like they could punch through my armor as if it was paper and beady black eyes. It looked like an enormous insect, but there was something distinctly reptilian about it.  
  
At this point, I formally decided that it would be far more beneficial to my health to get out of this thing's way. I treated it like a bear, backing away slowly, not wishing to excite it into giving chase. However, since I was far more focused on the looming monster before me than what lay behind, my foot caught on a rock and I tripped. As I was falling to the grassy earth, my only thought was what an inopportune situation I had chosen to lose my footing. Then I felt something grab my arm and drag me from impending doom.  
  
"Shut up if you don't want to die."  
  
Due more to the fact a gloved hand was clamped over my mouth more than anything else, I followed that advice and remained silent. The beast must have had incredibly poor eyesight or very little taste for human flesh, for it lumbered on past as if it had never seen me. Judging by the warning I had been given, I assumed it was the former. Once it was safely out of sight, I let out a sigh of relief and turned to thank my mysterious rescuer. We looked at each other at exactly the same time.  
  
I had guessed that this enigma was a woman when I heard her feminine voice, but I was hardly prepared for what I saw. She was dressed in deep purple armor, her breastplate embossed with a gold design, and although it was more than a little extravagant, it did not look gaudy on her. She looked as though she suffered with it, as one must with a necessity. A rapier hung from her belt, and I had no doubt from her stance that she could use it to deadly effect. Her hair was jet black and it fell down below her elbows, held in place with a simple gold band. Her face was pale and finely tuned, which made her look as if her face had been carved from marble.  
  
When she saw my face, her eyes widened, as if she recognized me from somewhere. When I thought about it, there was something oddly familiar about her as well. Perhaps we had met somewhere along our respective travels. She appeared about to say something when I saw smoke in the distance. That was coming from Seles! Muttering an inarticulate expression of gratitude, I hurried towards the source of the curling ominous cloud.  
  
A dozen reasons why I shouldn't be so worried flitted through my mind. A celebration bonfire, maybe. Perhaps someone had left a candle underneath a straw roof for too long. Or maybe just an ordinary mishap. But those were shallow and faithless, and I knew it. Deep down in the pit of my stomach, I knew what had truly happened.  
  
Soa, please don't do this to me again...  
  
As I reached the town, all my fears were confirmed. My home was consumed in flames. It was Neet all over again. My pace quickened as my body began to fully comprehend the situation. I wanted to help, but I knew it was all over. I was far too late to prevent this disaster, just as I had been too young and helpless to save Neet and my parents from that accursed Black Monster.  
  
I drew my sword once more. Reflections of the fire danced across the weapon, but the hard steel remained cold as ice. I knew what would warm it, though. Every inch of the blade screamed with a passion for blood, and I was more than happy to give it the chance. Someone would pay for this.  
  
Passing through the village, I saw that some of the citizens had managed to survive. Men and women dragged their children from their burning homes, their faces blackened with soot. The farther I went, the grimmer the scene became. Finally I spotted the perpetrators, who watched in cruel amusement as the sinless people of my town scampered about in fear. Two soldiers and a commander all bedecked in the symbols of Sandora.  
  
They were not Black Monsters. But they could bleed, and that would satisfy me, at least for now.  
  
One of the guards nudged the leader to warn them of my approach, but that did not cause me any sort of inconvenience. I walked towards them deliberately and slowly, for there was no point in wasting energy rushing into battle. Even as the rage surged within me, I forced myself to remain calm. Tasman had always taught never to let your bloodlust control you. Rages were powerful but inaccurate, and they were easily defeated by a skilled opponent. Although I doubted any of these three fitted that demographic, I still stuck to my training. Besides, I needed some information.  
  
"What have you done with Shana?"  
  
The officer's eyes glinted with dark humor, as if he were intensely enjoying all of this. But deep within his gaze, I detected a hint of anxiety. His soldiers were most likely raw recruits, and they looked as though they had the combined brains of a side of beef. They held their spears awkwardly, and they appeared unused to the weight of the chainmail that they wore. As for the commander, his armor was mostly ceremonial, showing that he had expected little, if any, resistance from the populace. That decision was both arrogant and foolish, for his band would have been cut down in an instant had they found any organized opposition. It was clear why this man was in charge of raiding farming villages instead of commanding troops. They were nothing than playground bullies, preying upon the weak. They would find that I hardly fit that classification.  
  
The leader finally decided to speak. "Shana? Ah, the girl. Well, trust me, had it been my decision, she would be dead by now. However, my superiors appear to have other plans for her. They took her to Hellena Prison, for further... interrogation."  
  
He said the final word with a pronounced sneer. The thought of my innocent baby sister Shana stuck in a filthy cell with some grimy guard leering at her day and night made my blood burn. I gripped the hilt of my sword tighter, trying to channel my anger out of my body before I exploded from the pressure. I would gain nothing further while all three of them were standing. My body tensed, I was on my toes, ready to spring.  
  
"Of course we can't let you live. You're obviously going to go after her, and that would irritate my superiors to no end."  
  
I waited for one of them to make a move, but when it appeared that none was forthcoming, I decided to break the tension and get this over with. One of the guards drew a breath, the breath that would ultimately be his last. The last of my restraint snapped, and I swung into action, heading for the soldier. So surprised by my sudden lunge, the guard made no move to block my attack, a mistake that would prove fatal. My blade swiped across his chest, catching one of the chainmail links and slicing the crude leather beneath. I reversed the stroke, and it too scored a hit.  
  
The two glistening crimson gashes ran parallel on his chest, his bodily fluids slowly leaking through his grasp. Blood bubbled forth from his mouth, coming forth and bursting not unlike the last few moments of his life. Eventually, he collapsed. I turned from his body to the remaining antagonists.  
  
The commander also glanced at the carcass in distaste, before he turned to me. He lunged and thrusted, obviously aiming to split my vulnerable kneecaps with the point of his blade. Feeling my lip curl in derision, I leapt backwards to avoid the blade, not even willing to expend the energy necessary to parry the clumsy strike. I saw the other guard hurl a Burn Out in my direction. Because I was already in motion, I was not able to avoid this new threat as well as I would have had I parried the officer's blow. I winced as I felt the flames erupt nearby, but it was a mere irritant, nothing more. Heat had never bothered me much, although I couldn't fathom why.  
  
I knew next to nothing about Sandora, but Sarge and the boys, as I had affectionately dubbed them, certainly didn't impress me much. Even though the officer was obviously incompetent and only assigned this job to find a plausible use for him, I still had my doubts. If all the soldiers were as stupid and brutish as these were, I had no doubt that the highly trained knighthoods of Basil would wipe Sandora out should a war begin, despite the northern country's superior numbers. But Sandoran politics mattered little to me.  
  
After the Burn Out expired, I got tired of dealing with these fools. I decided to head for the leader and finish this endeavor. I struck, and as I suspected, the armor offered little resistance. Thinking he could predict my next stroke from his unfortunate comrade's experience, he moved his weapon to block. I merely flicked my wrist, adjusting my grip on the hilt, and brought the sword downward, so that the two strokes crossed.  
  
Despite the two slashes, the officer had not quite decided to give up the ghost, quite yet, but I remedied that with a thrust through his gut. Cleaning the various fluids from my blade, I glanced up at the final soldier. Making probably the smartest decision of his life, he had fled his death, dropping his spear behind him. I was not quite don with him yet. I needed more information on Shana's whereabouts.  
  
My churning legs easily outpaced his fearful stumbling, despite the fact I was in full armor. I caught him by the shoulder blade and rammed him into a partially burned wall. The charred wood crumbled beneath the impact, but I retained my grip, shifting it to his neck, a far better place for a hand when in intense diplomatic negotiations. I twisted his collar, cutting off his breath. The chainmail links in my hands cut into my skin, but I bore the discomfort. This would not take long. "Where is this hellhole they have Shana locked up in?"  
  
The soldier made a choking noise, indicating that my hold was a little too tight. Since I still needed information from him, I loosened my grip. But not much. After attempting to gain enough breath to speak several times and not succeeding, he eventually gave up and lifted a trembling finger. Northwest. I let him go, his knees giving way beneath him. I knew he was still alive, but I left his crumpled body where it was. There was no point in wasting the effort to finish the pathetic wretch off. If he rejoined the army, I would probably kill him at some point later anyway. If he had any sense, however, he would desert, make it look like he had died, then get back to his miserable life far away from the army.  
  
Of course, I was hardly in a position to call anyone miserable at the moment. Finally, I ducked out of the village. I would have stayed and helped out the survivors, but Shana needed my help. I paid a brief visit to Master Tasman, who was more than willing to give me a few pointers before I went along my way. No one appeared alarmed by my hastiness to leave. I had always been looking out for Shana.  
  
But I hadn't this time. Twice my home had been destroyed due to my own inability do defend it. I took a silent vow that day. It would never happen again.  
  
Author's Note: Like I said, not a happy fic. I liked the way it turned out though. 


	2. Hellena

Author's Note: Wow, you people seem to like this one. Good, cause I do too. Anyway, I don't have a problem with Dart being cast as the hero, just not the stereotypical hero, the kind that's all brawn and no brains. I just don't think that's fair to Dart.  
  
Anyway, either someone didn't read the author's note, or they just weren't paying attention, cause I got a comment about Dart being out of character. For posterity, I will repeat myself. Some people may consider this out of character, but I don't. This is what I think Dart is like, or should have been like. If this bothers you, I'm sorry. But the entire point of this fic is to offer an alternate perspective. Which means that all of this sappy obsession with Shana will end. Sorry, but my idea of Dart is more morbid. Basically, this is what would have been the result of the game had I been given the same BASIC plotline and the same characters. Of course, I would have scrapped the crappy translations and rewrote them in real English. And Lavitz wouldn't have died, but that's something else entirely. I will hold a grudge against Lloyd and Sony forever for that. Meh.  
  
Chapter 2  
  
I left the burning Seles behind me as I headed for Hellena, as the now dead Serdian officer called it. Passing through a grassy prairie, I stopped by a travelling merchant and purchased some healing potions, and a few attack items, just in case. I enjoyed the cloudless sky and the bright sun while I could. Autumn was just around the corner, bringing with it the chill threat of winter. My thoughts of the weather were pushed to the back corner of my mind as I caught my first glimpse of my destination.  
  
The dismal gray granite of Hellena Prison jutted out of the earth like a cruel mockery of some hellish mountain. The stench of dead decaying bodies hung thick in the air. Fires dotted here and there, as if someone had just stood above and hurled them haphazardly, not really caring where they ended up. Guard towers were posted in close intervals, deterring unwanted visitors. All in all, an imposing sight. But they wouldn't deter me so easily. I got as close as I could to the facility, then ducked into an area far out of the tower's line of vision. I was left with quite a dilemma on my hands. How to get in?  
  
My solution came in the form of a merchant cart, bouncing and rattling over the uneven road. Probably delivering rations or something of that sort. I drew my blade and leapt silently onto the back of the wagon. I moved stealthily up to the front of the cabin. The merchant heard the sound of my boots clomping hollowly against the wooden floor, and turned around, giving a sort of muffled squawk when he saw me, nearly dropping the reins he held. His eyes darted to the unsheathed blade in my hands, and I shook it slightly, just to illustrate my point. "Just keep going and pretend I'm not here. I have business in the prison. Understand?"  
  
The merchant nodded mutely, picking up the reins and urging the horses on. The guards in the towers scrutinized the wagon closely, but I was safely out of sight in the cabin, and apparently security wasn't tight enough for them to check the cargo. That was a relief. I didn't want to have to fight any more than I needed to. I wanted this to be a clean job, just like when I was back doing mercenary work.  
  
Eventually, the merchant nervously pulled the cart to a halt. I slid out of the wagon silently, sword still in hand should trouble arise. The vendor followed, immediately seeking out a nice cozy corner where he could huddle in fear. When I approached him, he started shaking so violently that some of the metal objects in the pouches on various parts of his body began to rattle, making enough noise to arouse the attention of two nearby guards, who appeared to be switching posts. They glanced over to see what was causing the racket, then spotted me. Naturally, this was hardly the best time to be caught with a weapon in your hand.  
  
"Hey, you!"  
  
"Son of a bitch," I swore more out of general frustration than directed at the pitiful merchant.  
  
Two wardens remarkably similar to the grunts I had dealt with in Seles dashed over, leveling crude spears in my direction. I sighed and tightened the grip on my hilt. I really didn't want to do this, but it appeared as though I had little say in the matter. One lunged in, the tip of his weapon gleaming in the firelight, seeking to impale me. I merely sidestepped and thrusted in, my blade sliding neatly through one of the spaces in his ribcage. The other soldier seemed like he was about to yell for assistance, but I ended that notion when my blade severed the fragile membrane of his throat. The guard gasped and clamped his fingers over his newfound hole, attempting to keep both his breath and his blood from leaving him. It was a foolish and desperate battle, ultimately a futile one as well, as he soon dropped to the ground, lifeless.  
  
I took off for the inner caverns of the prison, when I was soon met with two more wardens. I finished them off in much the same fashion as the previous pair, one with a quick thrust to the gut, the second... well, let's just say that if he had lived, he would have found it extremely difficult to use his weapon. After having gotten rid of them, I took off into the actual prison. I was charging through the winding caverns when I heard the sounds of battle clashing ahead of me. The Sandorans must be a busy bunch to have aroused the wrath of two people who were actually brave enough to break into their precious jailhouse.  
  
When I reached the open cavern where the fighting was taking place, I got my first look at this second unwanted visitor to Hellena Prison. It was a man, older than I was, but not by much. His blonde hair was short and spiked, and he wore a full set of plate armor, bearing the insignia of a knight of Basil. He wielded a long spear, of much finer make than the pitiful ones used by the soldiers of Sandora, and with an admirable amount of skill, I noted as he brought the spinning weapon downwards, tearing a wicked gash along one warden's chest. He smashed the butt end of his spear against the second's chin, then, twisting his grip on the haft of his lance, plunged the head of the weapon into the unfortunate guard's stomach. When he turned to deal with the third and final soldier, he was surprised to see me removing my blade from the dead body.  
  
I noticed he was nursing a wound on the right side of his chest. Typical of a knight, bold yet stupid. I held a great deal if respect for the Knights of Basil, but their concept of honor made them do the most idiotic things sometimes. I tossed him a healing potion, which he plucked out of the air with ease. He downed it in one gulp and wiped his mouth. His wound closed within seconds.  
  
He turned to me, making a gesture of gratitude. "Thank you for your help. I am Lavitz Slambert, head of the First Knighthood of Basil."  
  
Head of the First Knighthood. One hell of a position. "Dart Feld. But I suggest we save the formalities for later. I don't know why you're here, but we'll do a whole lot better together than we will apart. The enemy of my enemy is my friend, as they say."  
  
Lavitz nodded, and just then another guard showed up, drawn to the sounds of combat like a moth drawn to the flame that singes its wings. He, too, looked about to call for help, but he found that impossible once I had severed his head from his neck. Lavitz looked at me. "Well, Dart, you appear to be slightly... unorthodox."  
  
"To hell with orthodox. I'm going to do what needs to be done, and if I have to slit a few stomachs in the process, then there better be someone left alive in this dump to mop up the fluids. Soa knows there's enough crap in here."  
  
Lavitz raised his eyebrows at my response, but remained silent. We plowed deeper into the prison, eventually reaching a rock face with a shaft, a rusty steel platform laying dormant at its base. I was confused as to its purpose, but Lavitz appeared to know what he was doing. He motioned for me to step on top of the platform, then followed suit, pulling a lever as he went. With a grinding lurch, the platform began to slowly move up the shaft. I looked at the mechanics, curious to see how this was achieved. It appeared to be some sort of pulley system. I would have to ask Lavitz how it worked later.  
  
Once the thing Lavitz called an 'elevator' completed its ascent, we got off, coming to a fork in the path. I spotted a tower to the right. We headed towards it, only to find that the entrance was locked tight.  
  
Lavitz's brows furrowed. "This must be where they keep the important prisoners."  
  
"Like Shana." I muttered grimly.  
  
"Who?"  
  
"The girl I came in here to rescue."  
  
"Ah. The whole gallant knight after damsel in distress routine?"  
  
I snorted. "Hardly. My title isn't nearly that glamorous, and besides, Shana's like a sister to me. She was abducted after those Sandoran bastards pillaged my hometown."  
  
The knight lowered his gaze. "I'm sorry."  
  
I shrugged. "No use crying over milk spilt twice." A lie and I knew it, but I didn't care. It was hardly his business anyway.  
  
"What?"  
  
I shook my head. "Nevermind. Let's try the other path."  
  
The other path was swarming with guards, so we decided not to progress any farther in that direction unless we were left with no alternative. We were just considering our options when I noticed something glinting in the firelight. I kneeled down, taking care to keep out of sight, and scooped it up. It was a heavy brass key. "What kind of moron would leave a key lying around where anyone could pick it up?"  
  
Lavitz shrugged. "A moron with faith in the security of this prison?"  
  
"Still stupid, but that's not our problem. It will be theirs soon, however."  
  
We reached the tower again and I inserted the key into the lock. As suspected, it fit perfectly, and we pushed the door open, wincing slightly as the rusted hinges squeaked. Making our way up the stairs, we spotted a cell with a figure huddled in one corner. Lavitz pulled the door open, only clench his fist until his knuckles turned white as the barred door made the most godawful creaking noise as it swung open, revealing nothing more than a skeleton. I heard shouts from farther up the tower, then the stomping of booted feet.  
  
More guards. How monotonous.  
  
Lavitz wasted no time, impaling one within seconds. While he was busy extracting the body from his weapon, I decided to take over, slamming my foot into another's chest, then lunging in and slicing downwards, taking off his leg in the process. No need to worry about him anymore. Lavitz got a nick in on the third's shoulder, but I finished him off with a blow to the chest. We continued up the stairs, finding about a half a dozen cells, all empty save two.  
  
"Shana!"  
  
A girl kneeling in the farthest cell looked up at the sound of her name. Her clothes were scratched and torn, her chestnut hair streaked with dirt and soot. But she was alive, and seemingly unhurt. "Dart?"  
  
"Better late than never, right?" I inserted the key into the lock and twisted it, pulling open the door. I gestured towards Lavitz, who bowed in a formal fashion. "This is Lavitz, a Knight of Basil. We've come to get you. Just stay behind us and we'll blow this joint."  
  
She shook her head as she picked up a bow and quiver that sat in her cell. Apparently the guards had not considered her enough of a threat to take them from her. "I don't think so. I'm going to fight too. I'm nineteen, Dart, not a child anymore."  
  
I decided not to waste time arguing. We hurried down the stairs. I was sure someone would have noticed the trail of dead guards by now. Sure enough, when we exited the tower, we found a welcoming committee waiting for us.  
  
Two guards stood, their weapons ready, but what had me more concerned was the man that they flanked. He was enormous, dressed in tooled leather and crude fur. A dirty, scraggly beard hung over a portruding stomach, but I knew that this man was no pushover. He spoke in a booming voice. "I am Fruegel, master of this prison, and I was informed there was a break-in."  
  
I couldn't resist a bit of sarcasm. "Really? Which brilliant minion tipped you off? They must have seen the dozen or so bodies we left behind. Damn, and I thought we covered our tracks well, too."  
  
His dark eyes glittered dangerously, but there was no more time wasted speaking. Lavitz and I nodded to each other, and Shana drew back her bowstring, arrow taught. Then the tension snapped. Lavitz and I lunged in simultaneously, Lavitz running his opponent through, mine left without a head. Shana released an arrow, which sailed through the air and embedded itself into Freugel's thick leather armor with a thud.  
  
Freugel raised a hand, and two more grunts appeared almost instantly. However, these appeared of higher rank due to their more elaborate equipment. They wore chain mail and leather and wielded spears, just as their lowly counterparts, but the workmanship was so much better it made a world of difference. Freugel hefted a gigantic club and levelled it at us. For crying out loud, he might has well have just swung an entire damn tree, that club was so big.  
  
The two cronies lunged in, eager for blood. I blocked the thrust, then twisted my sword, slashing upwards, taking most of the guard's chainmail with it. He blocked my next stroke, but I had expected as much. I lashed out with my armored foot, catching him in the gut. I sped forward and thrust my blade through the exposed portion of his chest, blood spurting forth, covering my armor and exposed face. Damn it, and I was hoping that wouldn't happen today. Now I would have to spend all night cleaning the armor so the blood didn't clot.  
  
Elated by andrenaline and victory, I was not paying attention to my other opponents. I glanced up just in time to see Freugel's giant club. "Oh shit..."  
  
Pain. A necessary burden of life, but an unpleasant one nonetheless, so unpleasant that many spend their entire lives doing everything they can to avoid it. I've always accepted pain as an inevitable consequence of combat, but that doesn't mean I enjoy it. I swore loudly and colorfully as red-hot pain shot through my body. I heard my left arm snap. I was knocked around, but still standing.  
  
Shana saw my plight and tossed me a healing potion. I gulped it down gratefully, feeling the intense pain being washed away and my bones knitting. By this time, Lavitz had finished off his own opponent, and had attacked Fruegel to buy me time for recovery. I lunged back into battle, my sword flashing in the firelight. I swung carefully, each stroke only grazed the hulking giant, and I always had time to dodge the huge club. Lavitz realized what I was doing and followed my lead. We each drew grazing lines across him, Shana's arrows rythmically thunking against him. We wore him down, slowly but surely, and eventually, when at least a dozen gashes oozed blood down his front, he toppled.  
  
I wrinkled my nose in disgust and delivered a sharp kick to the fallen foe. Lavitz raised his eyebrows in shock, surprised that I would show such callous treatment of the dead, but I merely rolled Freugel over and indicated that the giant was not yet. The blows were grazing ones, so he would have a goodly while before he bled to death. Against my better judgement, I sheathed my blade, leaving him alive. I had my own concept of honor, and while it differed substantially from Lavitz's, not even I would kill a helpless man. Some lackey would come by and give him a potion before he died. If they didn't reach him in time, then the fool would die. I felt no sympathy, it wasn't my problem. He lost, he had to pay the price. That was battle, pure and simple.  
  
I turned to Lavitz and Shana. "Right. Time to go."  
  
They needed no more provocation. We left as quickly as we could, having no particular wish to stay in the accursed place any longer. Naturally, by the time we had reached the front gate, we practically had an entire Sandoran divison on our tails. We passed through the guard towers, arrows raining down around us, embedding themselves in the earth. We swung around to the north, knowing that the Sandorans would have surely set up a roadblock, hoping to prevent us getting back to Seles.  
  
So, with soldiers hounding our footsteps and arrows whizzing through the air like angry hornets, we left the oppresive presence of Hellena Prison behind us.  
  
Author's Note: I TOLD you people first chappy this story would be morbid and gory. Guess what? It'll get worse. Mwahaha. I be evil. 


	3. Urobolus

Author's Note: Aya, I think you misunderstood what Dart said, or took it too literally. He wasn't calling Lavitz stupid; he was saying that the knights' sense of duty made them do idiotic things. He wasn't saying Lavitz was stupid, he was saying that charging through the entrance of a heavily guarded prison alone was stupid. And let's face it, it kinda is. Let's not get TOO defensive of Lavitz. Remember that they end up being best buds before Lloyd KILLS him. Damn Wingly.  
  
Yes, I'm trying to make Shana seem less useless. It's gonna to be impossible to make her cool, but I'll try to dampen her uselessness as much as I can, just to make it easier on myself. And don't worry, I know Dart loves Shana. Whether or not I like Shana, that's part of the story, and it will be a part of the fic. I'm just going to alter the story so he's not obsessing over Shana for every minute of the story, like he did in the game. He really doesn't admit to himself until the dinner party in Disc 2.  
  
Chapter 3  
  
We sped off back towards Seles, a pack of Hellena wardens hot on our tails. We ran up to the top of a nearby hill, only to see an unexpected obstacle.  
  
I swore. "Shit. They've set up a roadblock!"  
  
A thick wooden barrier of logs blocked the path back to Seles, marked with sentries on either side. It looked as if they had chopped down entire trees and laid them across the path. They must have known I had come from Seles from the soldier I had left alive, and assumed correctly that we would be heading back there, and constructed the block as fast as they could to cut off our escape. I spotted a crude side path that branched off into the grassland. I motioned Lavitz and Shana, and we ran along the path into the prairie.  
  
As we fled, one of the wardens appeared to have a sudden miraculous gain of intelligence, and unstrapped a bow from his back. The others, amazed by this stroke of genius, and soon arrows clouded the sky. Despite the terrible aim, the law of averages dictated that one of the many projectiles had to hit home. Lavitz was the unfortunate recipient of said missile. It arced straight for his shoulder, sinking in between two plates in his armor. Blood gushed forth, and he swore quietly.  
  
As my legs churned, so did my stomach. I was exhausted. Breaking though a prison, killing more than a dozen guards, and then beating that gigantic hulk of a man, and leading a rushed escape in full armor without even pausing for breath really takes it out of you. We crouched behind a nearby tree, and the wardens, their brief spasm of intelligence apparently gone, called off the pursuit, obviously under the misconception that we had been hit by their barrage and collapsed. I breathed a sigh of relief, and motioned to a shabby old shack nearby, indicating that it was a good place to take a break.  
  
Lavitz held his injured shoulder gingerly as he plopped down on a chair. "I must return to King Albert immediately. He requires my assistance."  
  
Shana looked at the knight curiously. "King Albert?"  
  
Lavitz glanced up at her; as though amazed she didn't know. The people of Seles had little use for government. In fact, the only reason I knew who King Albert was myself was the fact that I had spent all of those years abroad. "Yes, King Albert, lord of Basil and true heir of all Serdio. Those Sandorans are getting more aggressive."  
  
I nodded. "I'll come with you. I may be able to learn more about the Black Monster, or at least get closer to it."  
  
Lavitz looked up at me sharply, causing him to wince in pain. "The Black Monster? What does the Black Monster have to do with you?"  
  
"The Black Monster destroyed my home town. Both of my parents died trying to fight that shadowy bastard. I would do anything just to find it, and give it what it deserves."  
  
"So you want revenge?"  
  
"Revenge? Of course I want revenge. Wouldn't you?"  
  
"We knights have been taught to rise above such petty things as revenge."  
  
"Then it's a pretty good thing I'm not a knight. You don't understand what it's like to watch your home go up in flames, to see your parents wither to some twisted black husk, and to be helpless to do anything about it!"  
  
Shana's voice was soft. "Dart, you were five years old. What could you have done?"  
  
My voice was harsh, far harsher than I meant to be. "It makes no difference!"  
  
Lavitz placed his good hand on my shoulder. "I'm sorry. I didn't know."  
  
I turned away and sighed. "We'd better get going."  
  
They nodded, and we exited in silence. Reaching a rocky outcropping, we only stared in dismay, as there was a gap between it and the other side, a gap far to wide to jump. Below us lay the raging river we had crossed to reach the shack. I sighed heavily. "What now?"  
  
Lavitz moved his wounded arm weakly, then looked at me expectantly. I shook my head, indicating I had used all my healing potions back in Hellena. He grimaced, then finished raising his arm to point at a large tree that stood near the gap between the two cliffs. "That. If we had a way to knock it down, we could use it as a bridge."  
  
I bobbed my head in agreement. "I saw a rusty old axe back in the cabin."  
  
"Yeah, that would work. You'll have to do it though. I can't exactly do hard labor with this shoulder."  
  
"Right. I'll go grab it."  
  
I threw open the door so hard it crashed against the weak boards of the wall, and they made a sound as though they were about to cave in, bringing the whole shack down upon my head. Fortunately, the walls held, and I spotted the ancient hatchet gathering dust in the lonely corner. Picking it up, I headed back to Lavitz and Shana, who were waiting expectantly.  
  
Raising the axe, I dropped my shoulder and swung hard, striking the thick outer bark. Wood chips flew, sap oozed, gumming the rusted blade, but I raised it again, slamming the worn handaxe into the new cavity. Once more should do it. I chopped again, but although it leaned at a surprising angle, it didn't break. I could fix that. Lifting my boot, I delivered a sharp kick to the trunk, snapping what little held it together and sending it crashing to the other side.  
  
However, gravity crushed our feeble plans. The force of the fall snapped the branches that Lavitz and I counted on to keep the tree from falling through the gap, and the trunk tumbled into the river below. Lavitz and I both swore simultaneously, while Shana shook her head in amusement. A slight smile curved on her lips as she chided us gently. "Men."  
  
I made no response, but I slammed my fist into my open hand and gritted my teeth in frustration. I snorted in irritation, and looked down at the river. "We'll have to go back down there and try to find a way around the river."  
  
We headed back down in disappointment, only to see something strange headed down the river. The tree had gone down the river and caught on the banks, creating a makeshift bridge. Lavitz and I looked at each other in amazement, while Shana gave a small giggle at the stunned look on our faces. We decided not to knock our good luck, and crossed over the bridge. Making our way up the newly opened path, we reached a clearing where we spotted a small gaggle of people. Our curiosity piqued, we decided to check things out.  
  
It was not a congregation at all, but a family, huddled in the middle of the road, obviously unsure of what to do with themselves. Two nervous parents consoled a crying child. Lavitz and I glanced at each other. There was no doubt that the Sandorans had forced this family out of their home. Obviously feeling a certain amount of sympathy, the knight headed towards them. I held out an arm to halt Shana from following. Let Lavitz handle this, I pantomimed silently.  
  
He approached them. "Greetings, weary travelers. Shouldn't you be at your home about now?"  
  
The father hung his head. "We have no home any longer. It was ransacked and burned by the Sandorans."  
  
I gave Shana a look that said 'I told you so', earning an indignant glare in response. Lavitz nodded. "Well, why don't you head for Bale? You may take temporary lodging there until you find a way to support yourselves."  
  
The mother sobbed in gratitude, while the father shook the knight's hand profusely. Lavitz politely refused any offers of compensation, and directed them to the safest overland route. As they headed on their way, Lavitz returned, a smile of gratification lighting his face. I folded my arms. "Look, I know a shortcut, we can cut through the Limestone Caves."  
  
Lavitz nodded. "Sounds good. The faster we reach Bale, the better."  
  
"Right. I'll lead the way."  
  
We made our way into the depths of the caves. Light was practically nonexistent in the limestone caverns, but our eyes adjusted enough for us to see enough to navigate. There were a few minor encounters with monsters, enough to deter an ordinary person from entering the maze of limestone, but they were easily dealt with. We reached a river that flowed through the bottom levels of the cave. Stones dotted the water, enough that they could be used as platforms. We hopped carefully along the rock bridge, staying far away from the swift current.  
  
However, some were more suited to this task than others. Lavitz, who had gone first, was having difficulty. His heavy armor made it hard for him to jump very well. I stayed close behind him in case he needed help. My expectations were confirmed when Lavitz's metal-plated heel slipped on one of the more mossy stones, and he lost his balance with an explosive oath. I leaned forward, catching his arm. However, it was his bad shoulder, and he let out a bellow of pain.  
  
I pulled him to his feet. I shrugged at him in apology, but it couldn't be helped. His bad arm was the only one within my reach. Better to give him momentary pain than for him to be carried away by the current, hit his head on a rock, and drown. He nodded, and rubbed his wound. "Damn shoulder."  
  
I went ahead, examining the passage before us. I smiled, and turned to him. "You may not have much longer to worry about that."  
  
He glanced to where I indicated, and his face also split into a grin. "Rock fireflies."  
  
Shana, who was lagging slightly, finally caught up, staring curiously at the dancing swarm of lights. "What are those?"  
  
"Special species of firefly. Their tail lights have healing properties."  
  
As I explained, Lavitz was already immersed in the cloud of insects. He gave a sigh of relief, then flexed his repaired arm. Swinging his spear a few times in experimentation, he turned to us and smiled. "Good as new."  
  
I nodded in satisfaction. "Nothing like rock fireflies. The things can come in handy. Anyway, if my memory serves me correctly, we should be reaching the end of the caves pretty quickly."  
  
"Great. The sooner we get to Bale, the better. King Albert needs me to defend Basil from those Sandoran bastards."  
  
"Yes, you've mentioned that," I remarked dryly.  
  
Lavitz gave me a grin of apology. "Sorry. I know I must sound monotonous."  
  
I waved my hand, signifying unimportance. "I was joking. Of course, Shana and I will be happy to help in any way we can."  
  
Shana made her agreement known. She appeared to be ecstatic over even being included in this discussion. How different she had become in these years, I mused, but the eagerness remained the same.  
  
As we made our way into the final chamber before the caves gave way to Basil, I thought I detected a faint hissing noise. Odd... I hadn't remembered that before. But I put it all down to nerves, convinced myself I was overreacting, and continued forward.  
  
When we walked into the gigantic chamber that led to the entrance to the Basil countryside, I definitely sensed something wrong, an ominous presence in the air. A warrior's sixth sense, and I could tell Lavitz felt it as well. Again I heard the hissing noise, but I no longer wrote it off to nervousness. I turned to the two yawning mouths that led deeper into the maze, and saw a pair of huge yellow eyes blinking out at us. An enormous copper-colored snake emerged, its fangs glistening in anticipation.  
  
I drew my sword. "Damn! I definitely don't remember that being here!"  
  
With an eerie hiss, the snake lunged. I jumped back a couple feet, then ducked beneath the serpentine head, jabbing upwards with my blade. I felt it penetrate scaly flesh, and withdrew it to discover it covered with acid- green blood. Green blood, I thought. Definitely not natural.  
  
The snake hacked in its throat in pain at the wound that spurted green fluid, and reared up to its full height, which was considerable, for its head nearly brushed the ceiling. It then dived downward, preparing to devour Lavitz whole. The Serdian knight rolled to the left, swinging his spear above his head, slicing through the scales and sending a trail of blood flying into the air in its wake and splattering to the ground in a line. Shana cocked and let fly an arrow, which plunged into the snake's thick neck, the head lodging itself deep into the dust-colored skin.  
  
The snake hissed and spat, obviously unused to discovering such skilled resistance, and slithered into the cave from which it came, and its head popped from the second mouth, out of reach of my and Lavitz's weapons. Shana, however, was undeterred, and sent another arrow arcing through the air, this one embedding itself directly in one of the massive yellow eyes, with various fluids spurting forth. It shook its head in agony, sending the guts into the air. I watched in disgust as the rain of gore splattered to the limestone floor.  
  
The serpent, managing to gain control of its pain, made one final lunge straight for me, hoping to bite me clean in half. I sidestepped to the right, holding out my sword. The snake's charge sent its body running along my blade, drawing a long gash. I jumped backwards as quickly as I could, having no particular desire to spend all night cleaning my armor again as the blood gushed forth like a fountain, covering the stone below in a carpet of green ooze.  
  
The beast shuddered once more, then crashed to the cave floor, lifeless. I cleaned the blade of my weapon with a spare rag, glancing in nausea at the ooze-covered cloth, which smelled strongly of oil. As I tossed to the floor, I turned to Lavitz, pointing to the exit. He nodded, but jerked his thumb towards Shana, who was still standing by the body, staring at it with an expression that was impossible to interpret. "Shana? Time to go."  
  
She turned to me, jerking herself from her thoughts. "Of course."  
  
Too late I heard the hiss of triumph. I whipped around, and saw the monster rise from its false death. It lunged for Shana, mouth open wide.  
  
"Shana!"  
  
Shana turned, eyes wide with terror. But the snake halted, Shana's fear reflected in its gaze. Shana began to glow with a fierce light, that cut through the air like a knife. It appeared to cut through the serpent as well, for it gave a horrible piercing shriek and its head smashed to the ground, the spark of life dimmed in the one remaining eye.  
  
Lavitz and I looked at each other in surprised amazement as the light faded and Shana dropped like a stone in a dead faint.  
  
Author's Note: Yup, there's Chapter 3! Sorry it took me a while to update, I've been busy. But there it is. Be happy. 


	4. Bale

Author's Note: Yes, Regrem, I did change the beginning events slightly, but I don't think either of those changes could be considered 'major mistakes'. I think that it makes Rose slightly more mysterious if Dart is saved by her, then leaves her behind to go find Seles without even letting her tell him what's going on. Furthermore, I think that he could figure out that Feyrbrand was a Dragon on his own. And finally, the commander that Dart killed in Seles and the commander that was ordered by Lloyd to attack Seles in the first place AREN'T THE SAME PERSON. The commander that Dart didn't kill does help them in Kazas by giving them the stone, but the one that Dart fought was just some flunkie Sandora didn't know what to do with. K? Oh, and by the way, if I remember correctly, Dart is 24 during the game, and Shana's 19. I'm almost positive that's right, but I know Dart is 5 years older than Shana, because he's 5 when Neet is attacked by Rose when Shana and Louvia are being born.  
  
Aer, I'm sorry, but the whole 'Lavitz started it' excuse is total bullshit. Anyone who makes that excuse overlooks one crucial factor. Lavitz is a knight, right? I'm assuming there's no disagreement there. Well, if you were a knight, and some guy in a black cape and hood were reaching into your king's (who also happens to be your close childhood friend, I might add) back and pulling out a goddamn GEMSTONE, what would you do about it? You wouldn't stand there like a moron, you'd change to uber-kick-ass-Jade- Dragoon mode and impale the bastard. At least I would. Besides, Lloyd could have just as easily teleported out of there with his Wingly magic, which you would expect him to do anyway, because he's done it millions of times in the game because he's a sissy who can't fight for beans. He had the Moon Gem, why bother hanging around?  
  
Chapter 4  
  
I had been to big cities before in my travels searching for the Black Monster, but I had never been to a capital, and the sheer size of Bale blew me away. The homes seemed to stretch on forever. People buzzed through the streets in flocks, like herds of migrating animals. Shana, who had recovered from the bizarre episode at the caves, was just as amazed as I, gaping in surprise at the gigantic city.  
  
Lavitz, however, wore the sorrowful smile of one returning to his home after far too long. If only I could have had such an expression when I returned to Seles. But my thoughts of homecoming were interrupted by the strange incident with the monster in the woods and the strange black-clad woman, and then discovering that Seles was being ransacked, so I had not been given Lavitz's privilege. Despite whatever remorse I might have felt for Seles, it was gone now, and there was no changing that. My musings were interrupted by a shrill voice shrieking Lavitz's name.  
  
"Sir Lavitz, Sir Lavitz!"  
  
A girl no older than ten in a paint-spattered smock rushed towards the knight, panting breathlessly. A childish grin was bright on her face, and she lifted something from underneath her arm, holding it up for him to inspect. It was a portrait of Lavitz in full armor, leaning on his spear. "It's finally finished."  
  
"Thank you. I shall treasure it always." Lavitz gingerly stowed away the picture in his pack. The girl scooted back to her home, beaming.  
  
I watched her go with cynical amusement. "A little young for you, isn't she?"  
  
Lavitz laughed and shook his head. I then noticed a bronze plaque marking off the area in which we stood. I read aloud. "Slambert Plaza." I looked questioningly at Lavitz. The effect of those two words caught me off guard. The melancholy homecoming joy on Lavitz's face vanished, he suddenly seemed as though a great unseen weight was resting on his shoulders.  
  
He sighed, and spoke, his voice filled with sorrow. "Servi Slambert, my father, former head of the First Knighthood, nicknamed 'The Lance of Serdio.'"  
  
"Quite a title. But I noticed the 'former'. What happened to him?" Of course, I already had guessed the answer, but what was the point in backing out? He was obviously expecting me to ask anyway.  
  
"Dead. Betrayed and murdered."  
  
Shana looked as though she was about to say something comforting, but I shot her a glance and shook my head. No need to dwell on anything that obviously was still eating at the knight.  
  
The spasm of mourning passed, and Lavitz had returned to his previous cheerfulness, although one could still detect a hint of sadness buried deep in his eyes. "We'll go to the castle now. I have important military matters to catch up on, and I'm sure the king will be very pleased to meet you."  
  
Indels Castle was an imposing structure of granite, with guards marching in ranks along the bastions with practiced rigidity. Lavitz, however, did not appear intimidated and headed towards the main gate with confidence. The grizzled, weather-beaten face of the gatekeeper broke into a grin once he saw Lavitz. He motioned to the young recruits who worked the opening mechanism, and the heavy portcullis rose with eerie grating creaks. I hesitated for a moment, letting the knight take the lead. This was his home, he knew what he was doing.  
  
Indels was much more hospitable from the outside. Plush red and blue carpets lined the marble floor, and magnificent tapestries hung from the walls. Still, at every doorway, a guard or two stood, and a blind man could sense the tensions of civil war radiating from these people, weighing heavily on their minds, oppressing their thoughts. But Lavitz seemed oblivious to this, and his bright optimism appeared to rub off on some of the depressed soldiers, causing them to smile and stiffen to attention, and a few of the more audacious ones shouted greetings to the famous knight. He acknowledged these with a polite wave of his hand, which only increased my feelings of being out of place among these people. Small wonder I had chosen mercenary work over knighthood. Loyalty and honor were traits I respected, but my views on those subjects were hardly consistent with the strict codes of conduct the knights lived by, and I doubted I would have been able to stand being chained to something like that for all of my life. I enjoyed what freedoms I was able to possess.  
  
It was not a long journey to reach the king, merely a trip up a couple of intricately carved stone staircases, past a few pairs of bronze doors. The guards were more than happy to get out of Lavitz's way, many beaming at the sheer luck of coming face to face with a celebrity. Indeed, one of the younger men had been so eagerly exuberant to move aside he had tripped over the ornate rug, falling to his knees at the side of the staircase, his spear shooting unceremoniously out of his grip and over the banister, scaring a pair of passersby witless as it plunged to the floor. I smiled, but not at the soldier's misfortune, but at the concerned look on Lavitz's face as he stooped down to help the boy up. I was not the type of person who normally warmed up to someone right away, but I couldn't help myself in this instance. I liked Lavitz.  
  
Lavitz pushed open the final set of bronze doors and strode into an enormous throne room, where three people stood conferring. Two looked up at our approach, while the third did not appear to be looking at anything at all. The young man in the middle smiled in welcoming. "Sir Lavitz! Well, it certainly is high past time you returned."  
  
Lavitz bowed stiffly. "I am eternally at your service, my liege."  
  
I raised my eyebrow at this. This was the prodigious King Albert? Lavitz had mentioned he had grown up with this royal, so I was expecting someone young, but I had assumed that a friend of Lavitz would be a hardened man of action. Needless to say, I was surprised by what I was presented with. The king had a very studious look to him, with hazel eyes that radiated calm intelligence, and his ash blonde hair swept back into a short ponytail, as if he didn't know quite what to do with it. He was dressed in armor, although I suspected most of it was ceremonial, and a jade green cape spilled over his shoulders and down his back.  
  
He waved off the show of respect for his station, as if it annoyed him. "Please, Lavitz, spare me the formalities. Who might these two be?" He indicated Shana and I.  
  
"This is Dart and Shana, two friends I picked up during my absence. Dart helped me infiltrate Hellena Prison, where Shana was being held captive. Their village was ransacked during a Sandoran attack."  
  
At the mention of the jailhouse, the young sovereign's face turned grim. "I see. Were you able to learn anything?"  
  
"Little, Your Majesty."  
  
"Very well." He turned to the two men he had been speaking with earlier. "I hope you will excuse me, gentlemen, but I must speak with Sir Lavitz on military matters."  
  
One of the men, a short, stout, purple-clad elder who I assumed was the advisor Lavitz had referred to as Minister Noish nodded his approval, stepping back out of the way of the pair. The mysterious man on the king's left, however, made no indication he had even heard. Something about that man bothered me. He was dressed in a black hood and cape, his face invisible, and he never spoke once since we had arrived. But Albert appeared to take the man's silence for affirmation, and left with Lavitz, the friends speaking in low voices amongst themselves.  
  
Minister Noish turned to Shana and I, his voice jovial. "Well, is there anything I can help you two with?"  
  
I cleared my throat before speaking. "I have been told that Bale has a very large emphasis on ancient history. I was wondering if I could learn anything on the fabled Black Monster."  
  
Shana's cheery face faded at the mention of the creature, and she left abruptly, as she always did when the Black Monster came up in conversations. The subject was very uncomfortable for her. I paid this no heed. I needed to know anything I could. The minister coughed once, as if he too was unsettled by the topic, but he began to speak anyway. "Very well. The Black Monster has always been shrouded in mystery, and all we know has been gathered from assorted legends and has no factual basis. Every one hundred and eight years, the Moon that Never Sets glows red in the evening sky, signifying that the divine being known as the Moon Child has been born. Soon after, the Black Monster appears, destroying all surrounding the child, murdering the baby in infancy before it can grow and, supposedly, teach us the secret of a true utopia."  
  
I noticed the black-clad stranger visibly straighten at the last sentence, which only proved to deepen my growing dislike and suspicion of the enigmatic advisor. I wondered why the king would submit to keeping such an obviously shadowy character in his court, but I let the matter drop. After all, it was Albert's business, not mine. At this point, Shana returned from her brief excursion to the balcony, as did Albert and Lavitz, their business apparently finished. Minister Noish intercepted the king immediately, while the knight turned to the two of us, grinning. "Well, what do you say we stop by my home before heading out again."  
  
Shana nodded enthusiastically, while I merely shrugged. As Lavitz marched out the door, Shana bobbing behind him, I could still sense the veiled eyes of the shadowy enigma on me. Even as I turned to leave, I felt his gaze, gauging me, calculating.  
  
I didn't like it at all.  
  
Author's Note: Yes, I know this chapter sucked, but gimme a break, there was no action in this part. Meh. If I messed with the whole Black Monster spiel (I love that word. SHPIEL!), cut me a little slack. I don't remember everything that happens in the game. I don't own LoD, I don't even have a Playstation. I played it at a friend's house, and it became my writing obsession. Anyway, I'll try to get a comedy updated on Wednesday if I have enough time before I start working on Chapter 68 of Rebirth of a Legend. I hope you're all happy now. I really need to start catching up with other people's stuff, I've been so damn busy lately. .-; 


	5. Hoax

Author's Note: Foolish writer's block, I crush you beneath the heel of my boot. I am almighty! Yes. Anyway, this will probably be my top priority until I figure out what the hell I'm doing with Rebirth. Rejoice.  
Chapter 5  
  
We stopped near a modest home not too far from Indels. I hesitated and glanced at Lavitz, unsure if we were to go on, but the knight headed for the door. Apparently, being the head of the First Knighthood and having a highly respected father, deceased though he was, did not require you to live lavishly. Yet another thing I liked about Lavitz, he was anything but arrogant. He swallowed his pride to set an example for others. Despite my dubious first impression of the knight, I now felt a connection with the man.  
  
He held the door open for Shana, while I took up the rear. The sound of the door shutting alerted the house's sole occupant. A middle-aged woman walked through a doorway into the hall, and gasped when she spotted us. "Oh, Lavitz!"  
  
"Hello, Mother."  
  
"Oh, my. It's been so long." Her gaze fell on Shana. "Oh, and who's this? Have you finally managed to get married? High past time."  
  
Shana went red, and Lavitz sighed in exasperation. "Mother..."  
  
Apparently they had gone over this subject many times. She glanced over at me. "Ah. I see."  
  
Shana's flush deepened, but I decided to retain my dignity, so I didn't respond. She beamed at us. "Well, I just happened to be in the process of making dinner, so I suppose I'll have to make some extra."  
  
Shana spoke up. "I'd be more than happy to help out."  
  
Lady Slambert smiled at her. "Such a nice girl. Are you sure..."  
  
Her voice trailed off as Lavitz shot her a silencing glare, and she sighed. "Oh, all right. Come along, dear."  
  
Shana followed her into the kitchen, and they shut the door behind them, indicating that we were officially not welcome in their domain. Lavitz turned to me, shrugged, and shook his head. "Come on."  
  
He led me up a wooden staircase to the loft. We sat down on the roof, staring out at the quiet serene city below. I spoke first. "So, what are you doing now?"  
  
"King Albert is sending me to Hoax."  
  
"Hoax? If my sense of geography serves me correctly, that's not too far from here."  
  
"Half a day's journey, better in good weather."  
  
So the Sandoran forces were close to Bale. The threat was more serious than I had originally thought. "Well, would you be interested in taking a couple of stragglers along for the ride?"  
  
"Who, you and Shana?  
  
I rolled my eyes. "No, I happen to be on good personal terms with King Zior and Queen Theresa, and I'm going to send them a telepathic message so they come charging into battle in their magical flying carriages. Of course us, you moron."  
  
Lavitz chuckled. "I doubt Kaiser would mind having a couple more pairs of hands helping out."  
  
"Kaiser?"  
  
"Head of the Eighth Knighthood. He's in charge of the defense of Hoax."  
  
"Ah."  
  
"Dinner, boys!"  
  
Lavitz and I both sighed simultaneously. Lavitz got up first, and I followed as we headed back down toward the kitchen. A tantalizing aroma greeted us when we walked down the stair. I realized how long it had been since I had eaten some truly good food. Being abroad on mercenary duty prevented you from getting any real delicacies. Food was often scarce if you traveled somewhere out of the way, you took what you got, and there was no complaining. This dinner would be a welcome change.  
  
Indeed it was, with a gigantic roast chicken, potatoes, various vegetables, and several other things I hadn't even seen before. Lavitz raised an eyebrow skeptically. "This is a little extra?"  
  
His mother grinned mischievously. "Well, all right. King Albert sent ahead and told me you were coming."  
  
"Good old Albert. Remind me to thank him later."  
  
Despite the excellent food, I found myself ill at ease at the table. Not just because I was in the house of a man I had met while running through a prison slicing open throats, but also because I hadn't eaten with other people in a long time. Unless you counted your meals in a mercenary band as among other people, which I didn't, because everyone simply ate, then left to attend to their own agendas. Shana kept glancing at me as though embarrassed, although I couldn't understand why. Unless I was in violation of some unspoken taboo, I didn't think I was doing anything wrong. I decided not to let it bother me, and I continued eating.  
  
The conversation seemed strained in a hopeless sort of way, and I for the most part remained silent, not knowing what to say. I would have thought Lavitz and his mother would have had a lot to talk about, considering how long they had been apart. But I noticed how their gazes kept constantly sliding toward the empty chair at the head of the table. Evidently the death of Lavitz's father was still weighing heavily on both of them. The dinner ended in silence, and we bade Lady Slambert a polite goodbye before heading on our way to Hoax.  
  
When we arrived in Hoax several hours later, a heavily armored man in a long flowing cape approached us. I assumed that this was the man Lavitz had mentioned, Kaiser. He looked intensely relieved to see Lavitz, and clapped the other knight heavily on the back. "By the Divine Tree, Sir Lavitz, it's damn good to see you! Who are these with you?"  
  
"Two of my friends. We'll save introductions for later. How are the defense plans coming?"  
  
"Well, we're optimistic about the actual battle, but preparations have certainly been a trip to hell and back. We have no idea how many Sandorans are headed for Hoax, so we have every man and boy that can hold a sword ready to fight, but we don't have nearly enough people to prepare meals or tend to the wounded..."  
  
Shana visibly brightened, undoubtedly glad at the prospect of being of assistance. "I can do that! I can cook and I know first aid."  
  
Kaiser looked at her like he wanted to kiss her, in that desperately thankful sort of way. He directed her to the temporary headquarters, and she headed off. Kaiser turned to us. "Any time you two are ready to take a guard post, just head up and relieve a sentry."  
  
Lavitz and I nodded, and we walked up to the citadel in silence. For some reason, as I always did in anticipation of a decisive battle, I found myself searching for the pendant I wore around my neck. Sure enough, the ruby stone that hung on a golden chain around my neck remained there. As usual, I felt slightly embarrassed at checking. It wasn't as if it was going anywhere.  
  
It had belonged to my father, and that was all I knew about it. I had found it after I had come back to Neet after the Black Monster had destroyed the town and my parents along with it. I don't know why I kept it, it was a silly sentimental thing, and I wasn't even sure what my father needed it for. But it brought me comfort before combat, so I held onto it. For some reason, I seemed particularly drawn to it this night. It gleamed at my touch, as it was prone to do, although I could never figure out why.  
  
Lavitz looked sideways at me in concern. "You all right?"  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine."  
  
We reached the fort, heading for the outer walls, and we relieved the sentries at a section of the barrier. We waited, not speaking. I took a moment in the silence to gauge my surroundings. The hooting of owls filled the night, deafeningly loud in the otherwise quiet town. "Sure are a lot of birds around here, aren't there?"  
  
"We should take it as a good omen. They say that as long as the owls keep calling to each other, no danger will befall the city."  
  
As if on cue, the bird calls suddenly halted. Then the first rain of arrows came soaring over the battlements. Lavitz backed up, seeking cover from the downpour of lethal projectiles, before he sounded the grim call.  
  
"We're under attack!"  
  
Author's Note: Yes, I know this one was shorter than usual, but next chapter is the big Hoax battle scene, including the fight with Kongol and Dart going all Dragoon-y for the first time. Isn't that special? In the meantime, review and wait for the next chapter impatiently. I command you. For I am me, Lord of all... stuff. Hold on, let me think of something... bacon. That's it. I am now the Lord of Bacon. Kneel, foolish mortals. OK, I'm done. 


	6. Inner Flame

Disclaimer: How long has it been since I've done one of these? Oh well. Bacon is good.  
  
Author's Note: Okey dokey, I think I should let you people know that I'm going to be taking some liberties with the story line later in the story. For instance, I'm going to alter the Shirley's Shrine scene a lot, because Dart's answers are so... generic. It bothers me. I'm also going to change the Dart/Lloyd fight in the Hero Contest, because a basic summary of the battle is, Dart can't hit Lloyd, and he can't turn Dragoon and kick the Wingly's pansy ass, then Lloyd slashes him once and Dart loses. Boring. I'm going to take a little artistic license, and make it more interesting.  
  
Chapter 6  
  
Lavitz and I scrambled back from the wall, seeking to avoid the hail of arrows soaring over the battlements. The arrows continued to fly as soldiers on the ground threw hooks up into the air, securing against the stone lip of the wall. After some grumbles and loud curses, the enemy finally scaled the fort, jumping onto the sentry posts, weapons at the ready. Now that their own soldiers were on the wall, the archers ceased fire, and our sentries charged into battle. As my own adversary met my thrust skillfully, turning my blade aside, I realized that these were not thrown away troops, managed by an inept officer or a fat, barbaric, bumbling slob. These were battle-hardened warriors.  
  
But we were no pushovers either. Most of the guards assigned to protect the precious castle walls were members of the Eighth Knighthood, rigidly trained and under the capable (at least in Lavitz's opinion, and I had no reason to doubt him) leadership of Kaiser. I parried the chop aimed for my neck, and sliced upwards. As my foe dodged, I slashed to the right, aiming for his gut. He blocked, but I had expected that, and put all of my weight into the swing, so that it hurled his sword backwards. By the time he had recovered enough to attack again, my weapon was firmly planted in his chest. He dropped his sword and clutched my bloodstained blade, as if wanting to pry it loose and send his guts spilling to the stone beneath our feet, but the spark of life soon left him, and he fell limp. I jerked my sword free, wiping the unfortunate man's fluids from it as best I could before turning to Lavitz, who had already finished off his opponent.  
  
As our eyes met, a deafening crash came from somewhere to our left. I swore loudly. "Shit, they're attacking the gate."  
  
Lavitz nodded, taking in our situation. He turned to me, his face set into grim lines. "We'd better go down there. It looks like they've got everything under control up here, and most of the inexperienced troops are down there. They might need us."  
  
"Right. Lead the way."  
  
We ran down the paved streets as fast as we could, although we took care to avoid the puddles of blood along the way that the injured had left while heading for treatment. There was no use in slipping on one and breaking an arm before even seeing any action. We skidded into the main plaza, where the heavy wooden gate was already splintering against the powerful blows of the battering ram. By the time we had taken our defensive positions, the door gave way. Sandorans streamed into Hoax, smugly grinning, as though the battle was already over.  
  
We soon gave them cause to think otherwise. I blocked the first stroke that came my way, balling my free hand into a fist and punching the offending Sandoran cleanly across the jaw. As his head jerked awkwardly, I could have sworn the wind around my sword whistled as the steel arced through the air and cleaved of his head. A fountain of crimson spurted from the severed neck, and I grimaced slightly as the blood splattered across my face and armor. Oh well, at least I wouldn't have to spend the rest of the battle trying to avoid it.  
  
After disposing with several more enemies in the same manner, Lavitz and I looked up to see a new figure making his way through the crowd. This man was clad in black leather armor, with his face masked. Lavitz growled slightly under his breath. "Sandoran Elite. Sneaking, treacherous cowards, but they can fight."  
  
I nodded, and dove in, my blade flashing in the fire of the torches. I scored a minor hit, slicing through the leather and drawing a shallow line of red. Was this man a fool? He hadn't even drawn a weapon yet, and he had nothing to block with. However, when Lavitz thrust his spear towards the Sandoran, our enemy jumped nimbly aside with incredible speed. He didn't need a weapon to parry our strokes, the simple audacity of my blow had caught him by surprise.  
  
He unhooked a wooden boomerang from his back, hurling it at me. It bounced off my shoulder, causing a dull pain but nothing serious. I slashed for his neck, but he hoped backwards and my stroke fell short of the mark. Lavitz swung the butt end of his spear, but the mysterious Sandoran merely reached out and batted it aside. He pulled out a large flail, spinning the spiked ball on the chain as he dove for me. I managed to get out of the way as the head of the weapon crashed to the ground, creating a web of cracks in the paved road.  
  
Lavitz took his opportunity, and his spearhead sliced through the vulnerable area under the Sandoran's arm. Blood welled up and spilled down the polished black leather, and I knew that if we could keep him busy for a little while longer, he would die from lack of the life-giving fluid that ran through his veins. However, my mind was racing so faced I only barely noticed him produce a bottle and uncork it. He hurled the liquid contents into the air, where the stuff metamorphosed into a bolt of lightning right before my surprised gaze. Bottled magic, a creation of the Winglies, and often sold to Human item dealers. It slammed into my body, and my highly conductive plate armor offered no resistance, so the magical electricity surged unchecked through my body. The pain was intense, but my head was clear enough that I ducked in time to avoid having my head smashed in by the Sandoran's flail.  
  
Then something neither Lavitz nor I could have foreseen. The Sandoran mumbled some incomprehensible words, and he split into three copies of himself. Lavitz was as surprised as I, but he charged regardless, his spear aimed for the soldier on the right. But his weapon passed straight through the image and kept on going. Two of them were illusions, and we needed to find out which one was real before the real one bashed our heads in. Taking a wild guess, I slashed for the image on the left. Out of sheer good luck, my blade ripped through solid leather, drawing a long gash that oozed real blood. My boot connected with his chest, and he fell, striking his head against a rock on the way down, and lay still.  
  
I panted slightly, still feeling the unpleasant aftermath of the lightning. Lavitz appeared to have noticed my plight, and tossed me a healing potion. I bobbed my head in a motion of gratitude and gulped down the liquid eagerly. The tonic rushed through my body, cooling and soothing, and I let out an audible sigh of relief. I looked around at the scene before me. Most of the Sandorans were already dead, and casualties on our side were significant, but not outrageous. All in all, I thought the defense had gone well.  
  
Then a huge figure appeared in the gateway. Compared to this new arrival, the bulky prison warden Freugel was dwarfed. Lavitz stared at the huge man in astonishment. "Is that... a Giganto?"  
  
There was no mistaking it. But it still didn't make sense "But... how? They were wiped out a decade ago... weren't they?"  
  
"Apparently they missed one," Lavitz muttered grimly.  
  
Raising a huge ax I doubted I could so much as lift, the Giganto cleaved a human in half with a simple downward swipe. The poor man never had a chance. I had had enough. I charged in, driving my blade between two plates in his bronze armor. He swung the axe at me, and even though I blocked it easily, it felt like my weapon was about to snap in two. This warrior's strength was amazing, and inhuman, removing all doubt in my mind that a Giganto had managed to survive the genocide that claimed the doomed race when I was but a boy.  
  
The butt end of Lavitz's spear slammed hard against the Giganto's broad face. The creature let out a rumbling growl and swatted the knight with a massive hand, and Lavitz stumbled backward. I drove inward again, but my sword bounced off the Giganto's bronze armor with about the same effect as a stick hitting a brick wall. The Giganto gazed at us with something like contempt, and cast his weapon aside. To our surprise, he spoke aloud, his voice low and guttural. "Kongol not scared of puny humans. Kongol not need weapon to beat you."  
  
Lavitz attacked again, undaunted by this display. This time, his spear hit home, the head wedging itself between two plates of the armor. However, the Giganto who called himself Kongol snatched the knight, leaving the weapon behind as if it were nothing more than a rose thorn, and hurled Lavitz bodily at me. Lavitz crashed into me and we were both knocked off our feet and onto the ground. My breath was forced from my lungs, and Lavitz rolled off of me, stammering something apologetic in nature as Kongol jerked the spear free and dropped it to the ground.  
  
I spoke hurriedly. "Apparently he can sense when we're vulnerable. Be careful."  
  
The knight nodded to show he understood, and downed another healing potion. I slashed inward, tracing a line of blood on the Giganto's enormous chest. Lavitz had recovered at this point, and he thrust at Kongol's shoulder, penetrating flesh and armor and drawing blood. Soon, the Giganto was covered in similar scratches, which were nothing on their own, but together they formed a serious problem. He was visibly slowing, and I dared to hope that we might pull this one off.  
  
Another good hit should do it. I raised my weapon high above my head, and brought it down sharply. He caught the blade easily, and punched me full in the face. I stumbled backwards, dizzy and reeling, and fell over. It was humiliating to have come so far and end up pummeled into a bloody pulp by this hulk.  
  
But then my end was delayed by a new presence in the town. A winged creature of darkness landed in the midst of the homes, clouded in mystery and shadow. When I got a good glimpse from the torchlight, I realized with a shock that it was the strange woman that had saved me from the Dragon, clad in black armor with those strange wings. She lifted her rapier to my chest, which was also somehow transformed and radiated a strange aura of power, and my heart sank. It wasn't exactly what I needed at this point, another person after my head.  
  
But the mysterious woman appeared to have other plans. Her voice rang out, contrasting sharply with the sounds of battle. "Spirit of the Red-Eye Dragon, awaken!"  
  
My father's pendant began to glow with a fierce light, brighter and more intense than I had ever seen it before. Flames poured from it, and I was sure that I was going to die. But the fire did not consume me, instead tracing a pattern along my armor. I watched in amazement as the flames hardened into a suit of armor that was identical to the one the woman wore, except that it was red to match her black. A shimmering band of flame appeared on my forehead, and my own weapon was coated in fire, and they both hardened into metal, and my sword exuded the same strange sense of power. Finally, a pair of crackling infernos sprouted from my shoulder blades, transforming into webbed wings similar to that of a bat's... or a Dragon's.  
  
The woman gazed at me with a strange smile of satisfaction, as if she had been suddenly gratified by this strange event after a long, long wait. Lavitz and the Giganto, however, stared at me in awe, Lavitz's admiring, Kongol's fearful. The Giganto was so afraid that he faltered in his orders. "King Doel said nothing about winged humans. Kongol better go and see what Doel wants now."  
  
It almost seemed as though the Giganto was making excuses for his fear in my presence. He scrambled away, and despite my better judgement, I did not pursue. I suppose I must have considered my new predicament more important. As the Giganto faded into the distance, so did our strange armor, the gems gleaming once again as if in a final gasp of breath before they passed into inactivity. I gazed at the woman who had become my savior twice over, and realized that I didn't even know her name. Regardless, there were certainly some things to explain.  
  
"All right, what exactly is going on here?"  
  
Author's Note: Swords, gore, and fire. Yep, I did enjoy writing this chapter, why do you ask? Heh. Anyway, this one was longer, which makes up for the last one. Rejoice. 


	7. Slaughter

Author's Note: See, I KNEW you were going to say that, Sors. If not you, then somebody else. But rest assured, I will not have Dart chop off Lloyd's head and parade around Lohan with it impaled on the end of Lavitz's spear, however appealing that may sound. Dart will still lose the battle, as much as I would like to alter that otherwise, I'm just going to make it more interesting than the crappy excuse for a battle they stuck in there instead. If they're going to make a battle you can't win, they should at least make it look like there's a decent struggle, but nooooo, let's have Lloyd be retarded and dance around the arena like a ballerina on speed. Just... forget I'm talking. OK, just pretend you're not reading this.  
  
Anyway, on a different note, I am STILL stuck on Rebirth, and it's driving me INSANE. More so because I've got this really cool idea for a new fic, but I REALLY don't want to start any new ones until I finish Rebirth, because I'm afraid that if I start too many I'll never get around to finishing it. And that would suck. But I swear to the Almighty Bob, I feel like I'm running straight into a brick wall every time I try to write that chapter. Grrrrrrr.  
  
Anyway, yes, I am still going to update Valley and Hobbits, it's just that this fic was literally screaming "Update me, or I'LL NEVER GIVE YOU A MOMENT OF PEACE FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE!" Well, OK, I might be exaggerating a little.  
  
Aer, Dart is NOT STUPID. Grr. The translation's just crappy, so that particular line maybe made him seem stupid. It's just like when they're at Zenebatos, and Melbu descends from the sky in Zieg's body and calls all the heroes silly when he destroys the Signet Sphere. I mean, it's a dramatic moment, with the evil dude swooping in from the sky, and the evil Wingly dictator calls the heroes SILLY! But nooo, you LIKE Melbu, even though he acts like a total retard for the majority of the game. Sheesh.  
  
Chapter 7  
  
"I really don't see what there is to explain."  
  
I stared at the black-clad woman in disbelief. A Dragon was stomping through the forests of Serdio, a larger-than-life Giganto, from a species that was supposed to have been killed off twelve years ago, had reappeared and nearly cleaved me in two, my father's memento had somehow burst into flame, giving me armor and a pair of goddamn WINGS, and she didn't understand what there was to explain? "Well, for starters, do you have a name?"  
  
The woman tossed her raven-haired head impatiently. "Rose."  
  
One of my eyebrows shot up. "Just Rose? No last name to go with that?"  
  
She glared at me, her gaze icy. "None that concerns anyone present."  
  
My eyes flicked skyward, and I groaned inwardly. Great, I was dealing with one of those types. "All right then. What was that... armor that you and I were wearing?"  
  
She looked at me incredulously. "You mean you came into possession of a Dragoon Spirit and you still have no idea what it does?"  
  
"A Dragoon Spirit? What, you mean my father's old pendant?"  
  
She heaved a deep sigh, as though explaining how flaming armor suddenly emerged from an heirloom was an incredibly simple matter. I felt my impatience mounting. "You're familiar with the lore on the Dragon Campaign?"  
  
"What, the old wives' tales about the human revolution?"  
  
Rose's eyes flashed at my casual dismissal of the myths she seemed to think so important. "You shouldn't discount legends so quickly. Apparently the old wives have more substance in their heads than you do."  
  
I began to grind my teeth. Despite her two unexplained acts of valor, this woman hardly made an engaging conversationalist. "All right, Miss Dark and Mysterious, please elaborate for those of us who didn't pay attention to the old crackpots."  
  
"Very well. When the humans revolted from Wingly rule eleven thousand years ago, assisted by the Dragons. The Dragons were commanded by seven Dragon Knights, or Dragoons, as they are more commonly known."  
  
"Yeah, I know that part, but what does it have to do with my father's memento, or with me, for that matter."  
  
"As I said earlier, your 'heirloom' is a Dragoon Spirit, a gem made from the eye of a dying Dragon that can focus the power of the soul of the ancient beast, transforming it into Dragoon armor, the suits you and I were dressed in last night. Your pendant is actually the soul of a long-dead Red- Eye Dragon."  
  
It couldn't be true. It made no sense. Dragoons were a myth, conjured up to somehow explain the near-miraculous success of the human revolution when they should have been cut to pieces by the dominant Winglies. And yet... weren't Dragons supposed to be fantasy creatures as well, called upon by exasperated parents when their children were making too much noise? I knew now that that was false, for I had nearly been lunch for one of the supposedly unreal creatures. Gigantos were also now supposedly a thing of the past, but they had mysteriously resurfaced as well. Perhaps it wasn't quite as unbelievable as it seemed upon first glance.  
  
At her words, something clicked in my head. It all seemed to fall into place. The sudden flare of the previously dormant Serdian civil war, the gigantic Dragon that had nearly made a meal out of me upon my return to Seles, and a Giganto suddenly appearing out of nowhere, larger than life and tough as nails. It seemed too clean to be coincidental, and if someone was manipulating events behind the scenes, then they obviously wanted the strange power that came from these gems, or at the very least their plot involved them. "But why would my father have something like this?"  
  
I noticed that her expression both softened and twisted whenever I mentioned the word 'father'. "Probably by accident, but it's impossible to tell. Maybe he even suspected what it did. Tell me, where is your father now?"  
  
"Dead. Murdered by the Black Monster when it attacked Neet nineteen years ago."  
  
This had a very unexpected effect on the seemingly impervious Rose. Her eyes widened, her mouth opened slightly, and what little color her face possessed fled it immediately. Lavitz, who had remained silent for the duration of the conversation, spoke up uneasily. "Are you all right?"  
  
The fleeting spasm passed, and at once the imperious, disdainful expression returned as if the other vulnerable, almost frightened face had never existed. "Of course I'm all right. Considering you were nearly hacked to pieces by that Giganto, you should probably be worrying about yourself."  
  
Lavitz, being chivalrous in nature, lapsed back into silence rather than retorting. Taking up the slack for him, I spoke in his stead. "So what do we do now?"  
  
Rose's gaze was aloof and maddeningly superior. "It makes no difference to me. I'm merely along to make sure you don't do anything stupid. That 'heirloom' of yours could cause some serious damage."  
  
I began to actively bite my tongue. She wasn't telling me everything, I was sure. She had much more than a passing interest in this matter, and her manner had made it clear that if she did not have some sort of ulterior motive, she would have no qualms against leaving us all behind and pursuing something else, no matter what kind of power I held. Once I was sure that I could open my mouth without exploding into an angry tirade, I spoke again. "Well, we had better go after that Dragon. It's a menace regardless, and maybe if we go after it we can learn more about whatever the hell is going on."  
  
Rose nodded her approval, and Lavitz looked especially pleased. The knight had obviously been eager to serve his country despite that his knighthood was destroyed and that he had no official orders now that Hoax was secure. "Kaiser told me that the Dragon supposedly lives in a poisoned forest north of here. We'll have to pass through the marshlands first, and there's still some fighting going on there."  
  
"And we'll also have to pass through the Volcano Villude beyond that as well," Rose put in.  
  
Lavitz looked concerned at that. "There's no way around it?"  
  
"Yes, but it will probably take an extra week, maybe more, to go through the swampland around the range. Wading through that is slow going, and unpleasant, possibly even more so than going to the volcanoes in the first place, and we'd certainly have to put up with it for a shorter period."  
  
Lavitz hung his head in resignation. "All right. Let's get going, then."  
  
We stopped for a brief moment to let Kaiser know that we were leaving, and to gather some supplies from the kitchen, where Shana joined us after her brief stint as an army chef. The ground soon turned soft beneath our feet and Lavitz and I began to have difficulties keeping out boots from sinking into the wet weeds. Rose was right, I was very glad I wouldn't have to wade through this for a week. Then I noticed how oddly quiet it was, silent except for the clanking of our gear and our squelching footfalls on the swampy ground. "Lavitz? Isn't there supposed to be a lot of fighting in this area?"  
  
The knight, who was taking up rear guard, looked up from his feet. "Yeah, so?"  
  
"Well, you would think you'd be able to hear the combat, wouldn't you?"  
  
Lavitz didn't answer, but at that moment we stepped past the trees into the marsh itself. I stopped dead in my tracks in shock. "Oh god..."  
  
Shana, who was only a few steps behind me, got the first glimpse of the sight, gasped, and clapped her hand to her mouth. Rose nearly ran into the two of us before she stopped and saw for herself. She said nothing, but I could tell she was hardly unaffected by the scene before our eyes.  
  
The battle lay before us in all its gruesome detail. Several dozen steel- clad knights lay scattered among more numerous dark-clothed Sandoran soldiers. But while the wounds of the Sandorans seemed inflicted in ordinary armed combats, the knights looked almost as though some horrible gigantic beast had mauled them. Here a man was missing his head, but the irregular pattern on his shoulders made plain that no sword had made that cut. Another knight had the lower half of his body bitten clean off. Dismembered limbs were strewn everywhere, and the plants beneath the destruction seemed covered in a sheet of dried blood. This battle had been over for at least a day, probably longer. I had seen some pretty awful things in my time, but this sight made my stomach turn in revulsion.  
  
Lavitz finally saw the grisly remains of the battle, and he clenched his fists, staring out at the mute testament of gore and death before him, trying to fight back tears. Rose was the first to recover from the grief- induced inertia, and she strode forward, examining the dead. Oddly, she began to sniff the air, but she seemed to pick up on something, and she stood up. "This was an ambush. They must have created some sort of distraction to lure the knights out of the fortress, then they slaughtered them. The Dragon was here. The wounds prove it, and I can smell its poison."  
  
Despite myself, I sniffed the air as well. Over the reeking stench of blood and rotting flesh, I could detect a peculiar stench, almost like rust. I heard a loud crash and rattle, then looked back in alarm to see that Lavitz had dropped his share of the gear to the ground and rushed forward. He began rummaging through the bodies, pulling out as many knights as he could find. He now longer tried to hold back his emotions, and his frame was wracked with sobs. He found a discarded helmet with the decapitated head still inside the metal shell, and clutched it to his chest and bowed over in grief.  
  
I strode over to where he sat, kneeling down next to him. After a moment of hesitation, I laid my hand uneasily on his shoulder. The sobbing subsided, replaced by a shaky effort to speak, as though every word was a struggle. "I knew these men, Dart. Many of them were good friends of mine." His voice trailed off for a moment, then got stronger as his rage bubbled to the surface, drowning his sorrow. "Damn those Sandoran bastards!"  
  
I looked up at the forbidding stone fortress. I didn't want any trouble getting to the volcanoes. "Rose, would the Sandorans still be hanging around here?"  
  
She glanced up at me. "Maybe, but they would be in the fortress. If we take some measures for stealth, we could probably get along the pass without being spotted. But we'd have to do something about the... what are you doing?"  
  
Lavitz dashed back to his pack, snatched up his spear, and charged for the heavy oak fortress door, ramming his mailed shoulder into the reinforced wood. The wood cracked and groaned in protest. Lavitz backed up, obviously preparing to make another attempt. Rose cursed softly. "I should have guessed this much. He won't stop until every Sandoran in the fortress is dead. We'd better go with him and keep him from getting himself killed."  
  
As Rose and I unsheathed our blades, Lavitz once again sped forward, propelled by rage and anguish, and the cracks widened, the door bending beneath the force. Several black-clad archers appeared along the battlements, roused by the disturbance, and arrows whistled down from overhead, sticking into the wet ground. Shana took a few steps back, nocking her own weapon, and let an arrow fly. The missile embedded itself in a guard's shoulder, and he clutched the feathered shaft with a hoarse cry, stumbling back and toppling out of sight. This time Lavitz and I charged together, and the combined impact finally did the already straining portal in. By the time I had managed to get a good glimpse of the inside through the shower of splinters, Lavitz was already moving in, spear flashing. Rose and I followed, brandishing our weapons. Shana remained outside, dealing with the archers.  
  
Before Rose and I had even entered the battle, Lavitz had already felled two Sandorans. With a fluid, almost sinuous grace, Rose drove her rapier through another soldier's chest. A Sandoran wielding a short sword swung at me. I parried, balled my free hand and swung, connecting with his jaw. He reeled back, then fell, minus his head. I stepped aside to avoid the crimson fountain spurting from the severed neck. My armor would likely get very dirty travelling through the volcanoes; I really didn't want to deal with blood clotting between the plates as well.  
  
Sandorans were cut down like stalks of wheat beneath the sheer power of Lavitz's rage. Rose darted and wove in catlike fashion, her rapier bobbing and jabbing in a lethal dance. Shana also entered the fray, her quiver full from the spoils of her duel with the Sandoran archers. Several soldiers died before we even reached them, with red-feathered arrows protruding from their stomachs. The tide of our black-clothed foes ebbed, and soon very few remained. But a new figure emerged from the keep, with two spear-wielding lackeys at his sides, and I could tell he was the leader of the group. He was dressed much like the officer I had killed in Seles, but his armor was more ornate, including an embossed horned helmet, which I guessed indicated high rank. He leveled an enormous broadsword at the four of us. Lavitz needed no more provocation.  
  
Shana finished off the remaining soldiers while Rose and I engaged the cronies. Nobody questioned Lavitz's right to the leader. His spearhead grated off the edges of the broadsword, then he withdrew his weapon and struck up a defensive position. When his opponent thrust in, he knocked the weapon down and swung with the butt end of his spear. The wood struck the man's cheekbone, leaving an angry red mark in its wake. Undaunted, the huge sword swung again, and Lavitz caught his spear in both hands to parry, then lashed out. The speed of the blow also made it inaccurate, and his foe suffered a nick on the shoulder, but little more.  
  
Lavitz paid for the move when he was forced to roll over on the ground to avoid having his torso separated from his legs. He settled into a crouching position, then leapt to the side when the officer attempted to cleave him in two. He kicked with his left foot, his hard metal boots crashing into the man's knuckles. The man cursed and dropped his weapon in surprise, and then reflexively brought his other hand to his injured one, attempting to ease the pain. That instinct ultimately cost him his life, as Lavitz impaled the man upon his spear. The body convulsed once, and then lay still.  
  
Rose and I had dispatched our opponents long before this. Shana was gathering as many arrows as she could salvage from the battlefield, wrinkling her nose against the stench of death. Lavitz dropped his spear and heaved a deep, shuddering sigh. I walked over to him, stepping over the bodies, and stood next to the knight, staring out at the dead piled in the courtyard and beyond. We stood in silence for a moment, and then I cleared my throat. "Hopefully the knighthood's reinforcements will get here before the Sandorans return in force, and they'll manage to get a decent garrison ready for them. There's nothing in this place for us anymore."  
  
I marched out of the fortress, and Rose walked just behind me. Once her quiver was full, Shana followed. We had already suited up our packs when Lavitz emerged. He walked slowly, and his bloodstained spear tip was dragged along the swampy ground, as if the weight of the weapon was too much for him to bear.  
  
Author's Note: D'oh! Fixed the error, thanks to the Aerb to pointing it out for me, despite the fact that I'm STILL NOT A DOG. Geez, Sors, you're pretty pissed, aren't you? And I can firmly say that I have no idea what you're talking about when you say 'secrecy', because I personally think I've been quite blatant about it. When you say that people have a right to their own opinions, that may be true, but I think that Fifi is truly an Anti-Lloyder at heart. After all, she was so GOOD at it, and we all know how much she loves them Jades... Come back to us, Fifi, or I'll sic the Peeps on you... XD  
  
ME with an ulterior motive, shike? I'm mortally offended. :P Anyway, I want Lloyd to get his ass kicked as much as you and Steelers, but that'll have to wait until after the Hero Competition. Rest assured, Dart will smack the Wingly around a bit before the match is over.  
  
Shade, my personal favorites from Meteora are Somewhere I Belong, Faint, and Numb. You tried cranking up the bass when listening to Faint? VERY cool.  
  
NOT A DOG. 


End file.
